I Risked My Life To Save The Cheeky Girl, And As A Result, I Lost My Right Arm.

The Day I Lost My Arm (Part 1).

Ding-dong, ding-dong…

For us high schoolers, the sound of the after-school bell is like a melody of freedom. It marks the moment we escape the rigid confines of class and regain our freedom.

“Ah, crap! Today’s the day the coach comes! I gotta get to practice, fast!”

“Hey, wanna stop by that crepe shop by the station that’s been trending on Insta after school?”

“Yaaawn… I’m so sleepy…”

Some dive into their favorite club activities, others gather with friends to mess around, and some just take their time heading home.

“Later, Nakamura!”

I waved back at my classmates’ farewells with a casual, “See you tomorrow!”

“Phew, another day’s over…”

Stretching my arms high, I worked out the stiffness in my body. Letting out a small yawn, I started walking along the familiar route home.

Whoooosh…

An autumn breeze swept by. Fallen leaves had gathered beneath the street trees, dancing into the air with the wind.

“Excuse me, young man, could I bother you for a moment?”

I turned at the sound of a little old lady’s voice.

“Sure, what’s the matter?”

“I’m trying to get to city hall, but I can’t seem to figure out which way to go…”

“Oh, just turn right up ahead, keep walking straight for a bit, and you’ll see it on your left.”

“Oh, is that so? Thank you, dear.”

“Not at all!”

“Young folks these days are all so kind, aren’t they?”

“Haha, you flatter me.”

The old lady bowed to me several times before heading off toward city hall.

I’m a simple guy. When someone calls me “kind” or compliments me, it immediately puts me in a good mood. Humming a tune, I felt so lighthearted I almost skipped as I walked away.

Splat.

Just then, a strange sensation under my right foot made me stop in my tracks. Curious, I looked down to check.

“Ugh! No way—is that dog poop!?”

My cheerful mood took a nosedive, plummeting like a roller coaster.

“Ugh, this is the worst! These shoes are brand new, too!”

I scrubbed the sole of my shoe against the ground, desperately trying to scrape off the offending mess.

But as I did, I lost my balance and stumbled awkwardly.

“Ouch!”

As a result, I ended up hitting the back of my head hard against a nearby utility pole.

“Gah…! D-damn it!”

Just as I was reeling from a series of unlucky events, my ears caught a voice that made things even worse.

“Kya-haha! Nakamura-senpai, that’s so lame!”

It was a girl’s voice—high-pitched, sharp enough to ring in my ears, and dripping with sarcasm as if it were slathered on like butter.

Reluctantly, I turned to look in the direction of the voice.

Her orange, softly bobbed hair swayed gently, and she narrowed her eyes, smirking at me with a mocking grin.

The autumn breeze played with her skirt as she stood with her bag slung over her shoulder, her hands clasped behind her back.

…Hasegawa Yuzu.

That was her name.

“Hasegawa, huh? Of all people, she’s the last one I wanted to run into…”

I muttered under my breath, my face stiffening.

Hasegawa, ever sharp to pick up on my discomfort, leaned in with a teasing tone, “Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Meeting such a cute girl should make you happy, right? Honestly, this is why you don’t get any girls, Senpai!”

“Tch, that last part was unnecessary. And stop calling yourself cute.”

“Fufun! But it’s the truth, so I can’t help it, can I?”

Hands on her hips and chest puffed out confidently, she looked completely full of herself.

I’ll admit it—her chest was rather large. When she struck a pose like that, it was impossible not to notice. Her uniform creased, drawing attention to the center.

Embarrassed by where my eyes had wandered, I quickly looked away.

“Aha! You were totally staring at my chest just now, weren’t you?!”

Her accusation made me freeze, my shoulders stiffening with guilt.

“N-no! I wasn’t looking! Absolutely not!”

“Liar, it’s so obvious~! Ugh, typical virgin behavior.”

“Y-you’re one to talk! You’ve never had that kind of experience either!”

“But unlike you, I’m actually pretty popular, you know?”

“Guh…!”

“Poor Senpai, losing to a junior—so lame! ♡”

“D-damn it!”

What a cheeky brat.

I’m a member of the student council, and she’s my junior. Hasegawa has been pestering me constantly since day one, always finding an opportunity to tease me whenever we cross paths.

To be fair, I’m a bit clumsy and absent-minded, which has earned me the reputation of being the guy people love to poke fun at. Sad as it is to admit, that’s my role.

So for someone like Hasegawa, who thrives on teasing others, I must be the perfect target.

“Hasegawa, I’m still your senior, you know! Your attitude is really crossing the line!”

Crossing my arms, I tried to scold her. But my words didn’t seem to get through at all. Instead, she taunted me even more with a mischievous, “Oh my, is Senpai mad~?”

“I’m a human being too! Being treated like this puts me in a bad mood!”

“This isn’t bullying~! I’m just playing with you, Senpai! ♡”

“Cut it out! I’m telling you, that is bullying!”

“Now, now, don’t be like that~. Here, take this juice and cheer up!”

With that, she pulled an orange juice bottle out of her bag and held it out to me.

“Huh? What’s this juice for?”

“Well, I was going to drink it myself, but if you’re going to be this mad, I thought I’d better apologize!”

“…There’s nothing weird in it, right?”

“What are you even saying~? It’s unopened, so how could I have added anything? Or could it be that you’re too scared to accept a cute junior’s gift?”

“Hmph, scared? Not a chance. Fine, I’ll take it.”

I took the juice from her and twisted the cap open.

Psssshhhhh!

The contents exploded out with force, drenching my face.

“Gah! Ugh!”

I quickly tried to screw the cap back on, managing to stop the flow, but it was too late. My face, and even my shoulders, were soaked in sticky orange juice.

“Kya-hahaha! I knew it! Senpai, you’re so lame!”

Hasegawa doubled over, clutching her stomach as she laughed uncontrollably.

“Hasegawa… This is soda, isn’t it!”

“Ding-ding-ding! Correct! I shook it up like crazy after buying it, just for you, Senpai~!”

“You little…! This time, I’m really mad!”

“Kya-hahaha! You smell like juice!”

She darted away from me, laughing as she ran into the middle of the road. From there, she turned back and yelled, “Senpai, you’re so easy to fool~!”

“I bet you’d fall for all kinds of scams—phone scams, marriage scams, you name it!”

“Stop it! Don’t say stuff like that! I already kind of think so myself!”

“Kya-hahaha! The fact that you’re self-aware makes it even funnier! You’re just so you, Senpai!”

Hasegawa’s eyes squinted in laughter, her expression pure joy.

As troublesome as she was, seeing her have so much fun made it hard for me to stay angry.